I’ve always thrived on recognition.
Acknowledgement, praise and validation have been my primary fuel for motivation, performance and self-fulfillment since I received my first gold-star sticker in kindergarten. When those stickers turned into letter grades, nothing made me feel better than an A+, and when classmates started calling me “teacher’s pet” as an insult, I proudly claimed the title as a badge of honor.
That recognition made me feel seen and valued. The fact that people were noticing my contributions in the classroom—even if they were annoyed by my “try-hard” behavior—only signaled to me that I was doing something right. My hard work wasn’t for nothing; I wasn’t going unnoticed.
When I entered the workforce, I found myself subconsciously longing for that constant feedback and recognition I was used to receiving as a student and missing the “competition” of it all. At first, I didn’t have a clear goal or achievement to work toward accomplishing either, at least not one that felt attainable as an entry-level professional.
Many writers have dreams like mine, to one day be a New York Times best-selling author or do work good enough to win the ultimate award—the Pulitzer Prize—but those dreams feel far from coming true and entirely unrealistic, especially at 26 years old. Awards like that go to people with decades of professional experience. I know can’t compete with them, and for a long time, I wrestled with the thought that I am too young for my work to really mean something.
That seems to be how a lot of young professionals may be feeling.
[Related: The Z: Gen Z Is Setting Boundaries During Business Travel and Events Are Adapting]
The Participation-Trophy Generation
A national study of adults ages 18 to 38 sponsored by daVinci Payments, a payroll technology firm, found that 76% believe they are “seldom to never” eligible for employee awards, yet they are 73% more likely than their Baby Boomer counterparts to want recognition at least a few times per month. Whether or not they receive that recognition affects 83% of Gen Z employees when deciding to stay with an employer, according to peer-to-peer employee recognition and reward platform Bonusly.
I will admit, these stats can come off as very “participation-trophy generation” of us Gen Zers, but we can’t overlook those who earn and deserve recognition simply to humble those who demand to be rewarded just for showing up. And an industry struggling with talent retention and turnover, such as meetings and events, can’t afford to lose talented next-gen professionals because we failed to show the ones who put in the work how much they’re valued.
The reality is that many Gen Z professionals feel overlooked, underrecognized and disconnected from traditional pathways to advancement in their careers—the majority (59%) say they are being underutilized in their current role, according to a LinkedIn Workforce Confidence survey—and in an industry struggling to attract young talent, recognizing next-gen professionals needs to be viewed as a necessary retention strategy, not an added bonus.
[Related: The Z: How Do You Capture an Audience That Has an 8-Second Attention Span?]
Emerging-Leader Awards Are a Win for Everyone
Emerging-leader awards and recognition programs have the potential to be especially meaningful early-career validation tools.
For next-gen professionals, not only do awards programs validate the work they often feel goes unnoticed, but these programs also help accelerate career progression and mobility, opening doors for promotions, expanding professional networks, increasing visibility via speaking opportunities at conferences and ultimately catapulting winners into the next phase of their careers.
From a broader perspective, these emerging-leader recognition and awards programs help set the industry up for a successful future. They function as talent pipeline mechanisms that help employers identify high-potential individuals early on, keep these individuals engaged in the industry and connect them to leadership development opportunities for further professional growth.
Young-professional recognition and awards programs are helpful for employee retention, too: 79% of the daVinci Payments survey respondents said an increase in recognition rewards would make them more loyal as an employee.
Not only do these programs help retain current young talent but they also market the industry to future talent and help rewrite the narrative of a career path that is still relatively unknown and misunderstood, celebrating young leaders who are elevating attendee-experience strategies in innovative ways or traveling around the world to manage programs. They don’t focus on the logistical, service-oriented, highly demanding work that keeps meeting planners on the clock 24/7 at times—the very things that turn Gen Z away from our industry. These programs reposition meetings and events as a strategic, creative, welcoming and opportunity-filled industry for young professionals to be a part of.
They’re not designed for everyone to take home a prize, but the one thing emerging-leader awards and recognition programs have in common with participation trophies is this: When they’re implemented correctly, everyone—employees, employers and the industry—goes home a winner.
Here’s a gold star just for you,
Taylor
[Related: The Z: Advice for Overcoming Onboarding From 10 Meetings and Hospitality Professionals]
Introducing Trendsetters of Tomorrow
As Meetings Today continues to spotlight the innovators shaping the meetings and events industry today through our annual Meetings Trendsetters awards, we’re proud to introduce a new distinction that looks toward the future, an emerging-leaders award and recognition program of our own: Trendsetters of Tomorrow.
This new award category is dedicated to the next generation of meetings and events leaders and will recognize 10 standout professionals under the age of 30 who are not just rising through the ranks but actively redefining them.
These individuals—planners, suppliers, speakers, influencers and more—embody curiosity, adaptability and forward-thinking leadership, bringing fresh perspectives on everything from event design and technology to workplace culture and attendee engagement.
The inaugural Trendsetters of Tomorrow class will be announced in the September issue of Meetings Today right here in The Z.
Shoot Your Shot!
If you’re a young professional looking for opportunities for recognition or an employer who wants to spotlight a standout young employee, here are some emerging-leader awards and recognition programs designed for next-gen talent across the meetings and events industry:
MPI RISE Award for Young Professional Achievement
- Who/what is recognized: Outstanding contributions by emerging professionals to MPI chapters and clubs and/or the greater meetings industry
- Who qualifies: Professionals age 35 or younger with a minimum of one year of professional experience in the industry (must be MPI members)
- Scope: One individual recipient per year
- Announced: Finalists are announced during MPI’s Global Meetings Industry Day broadcast, and the recipient is announced every year at MPI World Education Congress (WEC) in June
- Nominations and applications: Open in September with nominations closing in November and applications closing in December
- Established: 2008
- Benefits: Industry-wide recognition at MPI WEC, profile features and increased visibility within the MPI network
- Website: mpi.org/about/rise-awards
PCMA 20 in Their Twenties
- Who/what is recognized: Young professionals shaping the future of business events through innovation, leadership and creativity
- Who qualifies: Event organizers and suppliers age 29 or younger who are working full-time in the industry (PCMA membership is not required)
- Scope: 20 recipients per year
- Announced: Every year at PCMA Convening Leaders in January
- Nominations and applications: Open early June through mid-September
- Established: 2014
- Benefits: Recognition at Convening Leaders, major industry visibility, networking opportunities and an alumni community of rising industry leaders
- Website: pcma.org/20-in-their-twenties/
SITE Young Leader of the Year Award
- Who/what is recognized: One SITE young leader who demonstrates passion, volunteerism and commitment to the incentive travel industry
- Who qualifies: Active SITE members age 35 of younger
- Scope: One recipient per year
- Announced: Every year at SITE Global Conference (late winter/early spring)
- Nominations and applications: Open late summer through fall, closing several months before SITE Global Conference. Self-nominations are not allowed.
- Established: 2006
- Benefits: Complimentary registration to SITE Global Conference and onsite recognition during the awards ceremony
- Website: siteglobal.com/site-awards/member-awards/site-young-leader-of-the-year-award/
IAEE Emerging Leader of the Year Award (formerly known as the Young Professional of the Year Award)
- Who/what is recognized: Exceptional performance and contributions by young professionals in the exhibitions and tradeshow industry
- Who qualifies: Active IAEE members age 35 of younger who have less than seven years of experience and are advancing the young professionals community
- Scope: One recipient per year
- Announced: Every year at Expo! Expo! IAEE Annual Meeting & Exhibition in December
- Nominations and applications: Typically open in late spring/early summer and close in early fall. Self-nominations are not allowed.
- Established: 2006
- Benefits: Increased visibility within the exhibitions sector and leadership recognition among peers and employers
- Website: iaee.com/iaee-emerging-leader-of-the-year-award/
NACE ONE Awards Student Member of the Year and Emerging Member of the Year
- Who/what is recognized: Student NACE members who have made a meaningful impact within NACE and their academic communities, and newer professionals making an impact early in their careers
- Who qualifies: Active NACE student members who participate in a student or local professional chapter, and active NACE members who have at least one consecutive year of membership but no more than five consecutive years of membership
- Scope: One recipient per year, per category
- Announced: Every summer at the NACE Experience Conference
- Nominations and applications: Open in January and close in March
- Established: 2006
- Benefits: National recognition at the NACE Experience Conference, online and social media visibility, resume credibility, increased speaking and networking opportunities, exposure to senior years across catering, hospitality and events, and often accelerated leadership opportunities within NACE chapters and committees
- Website: nace.net/nace-one-awards
Additional programs worth mentioning:
- Destinations International 30 Under 30
- International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) 30 Under 30
Have a question about Gen Z or a topic you’d like to learn more about? Share your thoughts with Taylor at taylor.smith@meetingstoday.com.
Mission Statement: "The Z: Planning for the Industry’s Next Generation" is an award-winning Meetings Today column discussing the meetings and events industry’s newest and youngest members—the incoming Generation Z. Written by Meetings Today’s Taylor Smith, a member of Gen Z herself, The Z explores how to welcome, work with, understand and plan for the industry’s next wave of professionals while serving as a guide for members of Gen Z themselves, planners and attendees alike.
Read more from "The Z: Planning for the Industry’s Next Generation."
